


Shoyo the Wise Wolf

by jjomiomi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Business, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Pagan Gods, Romantic Tension, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Wolf Hinata, kageyama is just trying to do his job, or as slow a burn as i can manage, spice and wolf au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 07:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26847817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjomiomi/pseuds/jjomiomi
Summary: The boy’s head turned to face Kageyama, and he smiled, a fang slipping through his lips.“Thanks,” he said, as he jumped down from the cart. “You did me a big favor.”Kageyama tried to speak, found the words caught in his throat, coughed and tried again. “Who the hell are you?”“You don’t know?” The boy started to laugh. “I’m Shoyo, the Wise Wolf.”OR the spice & wolf au that nobody asked for
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. wolf and first meetings

Kageyama had been to enough small towns to see pretty much everything. He had watched each harvest festival, stood by for pagan holidays, been in the background for nearly every odd celebration. 

And after all his years of traveling, his favorite would always be the harvest in Yukigaoka. 

He traveled to that town each autumn, for the wheat market--their wheat was always special, on years when there was a bountiful harvest, and was sure to make a profit. 

They said that it was all thanks to Shoyo. 

Shoyo, the Wise Wolf, the spirit who lived in the land. The Wolf was a finicky spirit, but when he did bless the town it was with a bountiful harvest, more than enough for the people.

Kageyama didn’t believe in spirits, of course, but the festival around the Wise Wolf had always been his favorite to attend, although it didn’t stand out much. There was the regular bonfire and dancing, and enough drinks for the whole town--the alcohol alone was enough of a reason to stick around. 

So Kageyama watched, on the outskirts of Yukigaoka, after he had already bought his wheat. He watched the beginnings of the festival, the people in the fields all harvesting their grain as fast as possible. They said that the Wolf lived in the wheat; that the second the last of it was cut, the Wolf could escape. That had been a real worry for the village, once, but now it was just the fairytale that they used to justify celebration.

Kageyama watched, a little lazier than the villagers, as the last bit of wheat was harvested, and the festival was set to begin. He felt the back of his cart rustle. The wind must’ve been strong; He took that as another excuse to stay the night and avoid traveling. 

Now was when the fun really began. 

\--

Kageyama thought he was drunk. 

At least, he wasn't sober. His body was starting to sway as he walked back to his cart for the night. He was staying on the outskirts of town, in a boarding house by the fields; Cheaper than the inn, by far, and Kageyama was a businessman before anything else. Still, he was a little amazed that he had managed to stumble that far in the dark, after a night of drinking. 

Kageyama was set to stumble past his cart, when he heard rustling from inside. He was alert enough to hear that, at least.

He had tied it firmly after the deal this morning--had an animal still gotten in? God, was all the food in his cart gone, ruined?

Kageyama rushed to check, a little bit of falling doom in his chest, and folded back the tarp on his cart. 

He didn't see anything, at first. But something shifted under the furs he had gotten in the last town, and then there was a slip of skin, pale against the moonlight. 

Kageyama's heart started to calm, though only just--some drunk sleeping in his cart would be a nightmare, but it was better than losing half his stock to a mouse. 

"Hey, get out of here," he yelled, and he tossed back the furs. 

There was a young man, curled up small underneath. He was completely naked, barely covered by the skins in the cart, and-

-god, Kageyama must’ve really been drunk, wasn’t he? There was no other explanation. 

-The man had a tail, soft orange like his hair, and ears like a fox perched on his head, flicking as he cracked open an eye. 

Kageyama stumbled back. He was drunk, or he was dreaming, or something else, god, anything else-

The boy stared at Kageyama with lazy golden eyes, and he crawled out from under the furs, stretching like a dog before he got to his feet. 

He looked at the sky, tilted back his head-

-and he howled.

It was no human sound. The howl was loud and pitched deep, completely animal, a primal thing that no person could recreate.

But this was impossible- it couldn’t be. There was no way. 

The boy’s head turned to face Kageyama, and he smiled, a fang slipping through his lips.

“Thanks,” he said, as he jumped down from the cart. “You did me a big favor.”

Kageyama tried to speak, found the words caught in his throat, coughed and tried again. “Who the hell are you?”

“You don’t know?” The boy started to laugh. “I’m Shoyo, the Wise Wolf.”


	2. wolf and transformations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama is doubtful. Shoyo proves.

Kageyama didn’t react at first. He didn’t know how to. He was frozen in place, just trying to understand what the hell the boy just said.

Finally, he cleared his throat and managed a few words. “There’s no way,” he said, “you- you’re-” His eyes flicked over the tail and the ears, and the sharp incisors that were peeking past the boy’s lips. “Shoyo is a myth,” he said, reassuring himself.

The boy tilted his head to the side. “Is that what they say, these days? I didn’t realize I was a myth already. How long has it been?” He brought his hand to his chin and looked down, lips moving slightly like he was doing some math in his head. 

“Hey,” Kageyama said, because as his fear was fading he was getting more and more annoyed. “If you’re the Wolf, then you should be able to prove it, right?”

The grin faded from the boy’s face, and he dropped his hand. “Hm… I guess if I have to.”

“You mean-”

“Yes, I’ll show you what I really am, if you need me to.” The boy sighed. “I’ll need an offering, though. Some blood would do nicely,” he said, then tried not to laugh as Kageyama stumbled back. “Or… Some of the wheat.”

Kageyama took a deep breath, as the Wolf--no, the boy--licked his lips. “T-the wheat, please.”

“I thought so,” the boy laughed, and then he turned to the cart. He grabbed a stalk thoughtlessly, tore the grain from the top without a thought, and then shoved it into his mouth. 

Kageyama was sure nothing would happen for a moment, felt silly for even letting himself get worked up. And then the boy doubled over, and Kageyama’s fears came true. 

The transformation was painful to watch, surely more painful to experience, based on the groan that tore through the boy--his skin rippled with fur as his muscles expanded, and he crouched down onto the ground to cover himself as much as possible, tucking his head between his arms. And then-

Then, an instant later, the Wolf itself was in front of him, a beautiful and terrible beast. 

Kageyama managed not to scream, stood in silent terror instead. He fell backward, caught himself with his hands, rolled over to cover himself from the Wolf. There it was, that monster, and surely it would kill Kageyama for even daring to ask about it-

Kageyama chanced a glance back, out of morbid curiosity, to see his killer. But there was nothing there.

The Wolf was gone.

\--

It was a dream. 

Kageyama told himself that, as he woke up in a warm bed outside the boardinghouse, without any wolves or folktales around him. It was a dream, some drunken fantasy, as vivid as it was. He had made it inside, after all. No matter what his head told him, if he had met a monster last night, he would be dead already.

He took a deep breath, focused on his heartbeat. He was alive, unkilled by any beasts. And, more importantly, he had business to attend to. He couldn’t waste time being scared of a nightmare. 

Kageyama started to get out of bed, and was promptly pulled back by a hand clasped around his arm.

He froze, terrified, as a sigh that was too familiar rang through the air. He turned back slowly, already knew what he would find. 

There, in the bed beside him, Shoyo the Wise Wolf was wiping at his eyes, a yawn slipping past his lips. 

“Are we getting up already?” The Wolf asked.

Kageyama already knew he was doomed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapters down!
> 
> these are pretty short, but i think they'll get longer as i go, so hopefully you'll get more out of the next update~ 
> 
> see you soon!


	3. wolf and promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deal is made.

Kageyama had to be going crazy. There was no way. "This isn't real," he said, mostly to himself, as he shot up from the wolf beside him.

“I assure you I am very real,” Shoyo said, a teasing tone to his voice that made Kageyama stumble back and turn red. “But you saw that last night, remember?”

Yes, Kageyama remembered. He wished he could forget.

Shoyo slipped out of the covers and stretched himself out luxuriously, and Kageyama turned away, as a more pressing matter came to mind. 

“Would you put some clothes on?” 

Shoyo hummed. “Clothes are so limiting,” he sighed, “I think everyone should just go around naked, don’t you?”

Kageyama looked back and swallowed as Shoyo crossed his legs, placing his hands on his knees teasingly. He forced his eyes away.

“I think that if you don’t put some clothes on I’m going to kick you out, and you wouldn’t want to be naked then,” he said, trying to keep himself somewhat serious. 

Shoyo pouted. “Fine. Give me some of your clothes, then.”

“My clothes?” Kageyama rose his eyebrows. “Those will never fit you. Not when you’re so-”

“Don’t say it-”

“Small?” Kageyama snorted, because after everything this was the most ridiculous thing he could think of, that Shoyo might be offended somehow. “What, did I strike a nerve in the great and terrible Shoyo?”

Shoyo crossed his arms and looked away. “Are you going to get me something to wear or not?”

Kageyama swallowed. There was something he had, something he really didn’t want to give up to the wolf, but if he had to… it was far better than nothing.

“I’ll be right back,” Kageyama said.

\--

“Women’s clothes?”

Kageyama nodded as he handed Shoyo the dress. “It’s all I have. After all, I don’t sell clothes for children-”

“I told you, watch it,” Shoyo said, glaring.

Kageyama smiled to himself. “You know, I don’t really understand why you would be offended. Aren’t you a god? Can’t you pick the form you take?”

Shoyo softened, honeygold eyes turning mischievous. “Do you know why I choose this form, Kageyama?” He stepped closer, hoisted himself up on Kageyama’s arms and put his lips directly by his ear. “Because human men are weak to a helpless little thing with a cute face. They’ll do anything for a taste of me.”

Kageyama batted him back, face turning red. “Shut up.”

Shoyo giggled and took the clothes from Kageyama’s arms. “I’m only saying the truth,” he sighed, and he turned to the bed. 

Kageyama turned away to let the wolf change. He still couldn’t quite believe this was real. He tried not to think about it too hard, that a god was in the room with him. “Hey,” he said, “those are my finest clothes, so they better get returned in good quality soon, if you don’t want to be in my debt, wise wolf.”

“I don’t intend to be in anyone’s debt,” the wolf laughed, and he tapped Kageyama on the shoulder. “So?” He asked. “How do I look?”

Kageyama turned to stare, mouth falling open just slightly. It was undeniable that Shoyo looked cute like this, wrapped up in the purple dress with the cloak resting on his shoulders. He looked almost proper like this, dressed like a noblewoman, except for the mischief in those honeygold eyes.

“Good,” Kageyama said, “you look good.”

Shoyo grinned, a fang slipping through his lips, and curtsied for Kageyama. “I’m at your service, master. That’s what the wives say, isn’t it?”

Kageyama swallowed and turned his head away. “Anyways,” he said, “I think it’s time that you tell me why you’re here.”

Shoyo nodded, and suddenly he wasn't smiling but staring up at Kageyama with a somewhat serious look. “Of course,” he said. “I have something to ask of you, Kageyama.”

Kageyama could feel the shift in the air, the chill that filled the space between them. He nodded.

Shoyo sat back on the bed and crossed his legs again. “You helped me to run away. I can only escape through the wheat harvested from this village, and the stock you bought in the back of your cart allowed me to escape there, out of sight of the villagers. You did me a big favor with that. This village doesn’t need me to watch over their harvest anymore; I’ve been here far too long. I am indebted to you for allowing me to escape.”

Shoyo looked up to Kageyama, eyes wide and soft. “But now I have something more to ask of you. It’s a big ask. I understand if it’s a deal you don’t want to make. But I promise you I will not stay in your debt--if we make a deal, I intend to make you enough money to pay for it.”

Kageyama nodded. “And the deal?”

“I need you to take me to the northern town of Karasuno.” He pursed his lips. “I know it’s far from here. But that town is where my old pack is. I want to see them again.” He looked up at Kageyama, and his eyes were intense, full of gold and honey. “So? What do you say?” He held out his hand. “Is it a deal?”

Kageyama didn’t know what compelled him. Maybe it was that he hadn’t been sure of where to go next, or maybe it was the impossible call of Shoyo’s eyes, holding him to his word. Maybe it was because this still didn't feel all real that he was so quick to agree.

Whatever the reason, his body moved on its own. He reached out and took Shoyo’s hand. 

“It’s a deal.”


	4. wolf and new clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama gets teased by Shoyo, relentlessly.

The men at the gates were as suspicious as always, but Kageyama didn’t have anything to hide. At least, nothing to hide that was in his cargo. 

“What brings you to Seijoh?” the guard asked, and Kageyama smiled at him like he was supposed to.

“Business,” he said, and suddenly there was a tap on his side, and he looked down to see the cloaked figure beside him shoving his head into Kageyama’s ribs. 

The man at the gate laughed, and Kageyama did too, resisting the urge to tug at Shoyo’s tail and make him yelp for interrupting. “Sho- my wife wants to head north. Sightseeing,” he added, “Seems she’s eager to bring it up.”

The cloaked figure smiled, and the ears under the hood twitched, just enough for Kageyama to notice. 

The guard looked to Shoyo, grinned. “You have a lovely wife,” he said, and then he stamped Kageyama’s papers--finally. “Come on through,” he said, “welcome to Seijoh.”

Kageyama gave a thin smile and drove the cart into town. 

As soon as they were out of earshot, he pinched Shoyo’s cloak, right where he knew the tail was hiding; Shoyo yelped. “I told you,” he said, “don’t make any suspicious moves. I know you aren’t well-versed in humans, but I’m sure you know that wives don’t normally nuzzle on their husbands in public.”

Shoyo giggled and leaned in to take Kageyama’s arm. “I’m sorry, I just love watching you squirm.”

Kageyama looked away. “You’re unbearable,” he said, but he didn’t pull his arm back. 

\--

Kageyama had never seen anyone undress as quickly as Shoyo did when they arrived at the inn. He barely had time to turn away as the wolf stripped off his clothes in this doorway and ran to the window. Immediately, he tipped back his head and let out a howl. 

Kageyama frowned. “Could you keep some clothes on? And for god’s sake, stop barking like a dog if you don’t want the innkeeper to come up. He probably thinks we smuggled in some animal now.”

Shoyo giggled, leaned further out the window. “I can’t help it!” he sighed, “the moon is just so beautiful tonight. And listen-”

Sure enough, when both of them were silent there was the sound of wolves and dogs howling outside the window, echoing around town, some of the noise surely coming from outside the city walls. 

Kageyama shuddered. He still hated the idea of encountering a wolf in the wild, even with Shoyo by his side. The howling outside was a horrible reminder of what was out there at night.

But Shoyo laughed and howled one more time, before letting the window close and hopping into bed. 

“Tomorrow,” Kageyama said. “I’ll get you some proper clothes tomorrow, and I’m expecting you to wear them, and not shuck them off whenever we’re alone.”

Shoyo sighed. “But it’s so cute, watching you blush every time.” He rolled onto his side and Kageyama forced his gaze away. 

“I’m serious about kicking you out,” he said, “naked in the cold, with that ugly tail showing off-”

Shoyo rolled over, instantly turning his back and crossing his arms. “My tail is not ugly,” he mumbled, and then he pulled himself under the covers with a humph.

Kageyama couldn’t get a word out of him for the rest of the night. He almost felt bad, but only almost. 

\--

Kageyama, the businessman that he was, stayed true to his word. He bought the clothes first thing the next day, and though Shoyo seemed to think they were unfit for a god, he still gladly put them on over the dress. The trousers fit him well, and though he still had to wear a cloak outside—it seemed like the only way to cover his tail—he seemed much more chipper about it than the skirt.

“So,” Shoyo said, jumping in his new outfit like he was testing just how far he could push the seams, “where to next?”

Kageyama sighed and looked down at the coins he had left, the few pieces of gold that would have to be broken into silver soon. “We’ll sell the wheat,” he said, “and then... then we’ll go break down my currency.”

Shoyo giggled. “Is it that annoying to mess with coins? You don’t seem too thrilled.”

Truthfully it should’ve been an easy errand, but Kageyama loathed what it entailed—going to see Oikawa.

“It’ll be fine. Ready to go?”

Shoyo nodded and grabbed onto Kageyama’s arm. “I can’t wait to see how you conduct business, Mr. Merchant.”

Kageyama stood up a little straighter. “I’ll show you modern business,” he said, and Shoyo giggled.

“Sure you will,” he said. “I’m ready to be amazed.”


End file.
